Ramirez drives in four for Red Sox

Posted: Wednesday, August 03, 2005

By The Associated Press

BOSTON  Manny Ramirez added to his major league-leading RBI total with a three-run homer and a run-scoring single, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4 Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive victory.

It was the fifth consecutive loss for the Royals, who have the AL's worst record after being swept in four games by Tampa Bay.

Tim Wakefield (10-9) allowed four runs and six hits and struck out seven in seven innings. Curt Schilling pitched the ninth for his sixth save overall and fourth in a row.

Matt Stairs hit a three-run homer in the first and Chip Ambres added a solo shot in the third to put the Red Sox in a 4-0 hole.

But Ramirez, the focus of trade rumors before delivering the game-winning hit as a pinch hitter on Sunday, made it 4-3 with his shot to straightaway center in the fourth. He now has 97 RBIs.

Indians 6, Yankees 5

CLEVELAND  Scott Elarton contained New York's power-packed lineup for six innings to lead the Indians.

Elarton (7-5) allowed three runs and four hits as the Indians won the opener of their three-game series against the Yankees, one of a handful of teams they're battling for the AL wild card.

Bob Wickman retired Derek Jeter on a grounder with a runner at second for his 28th save.

Mariners 4, Tigers 1

DETROIT  Jeremy Reed's hustle on a sacrifice bunt helped spark a three-run rally in the eighth and Raul Ibanez's two-run single capped the inning for Seattle.

In the eighth, Reed singled leading off. The next batter, Dave Hansen, bunted the ball in front of the plate, which third baseman Brandon Inge fielded and threw to first. Seeing third base unoccupied, Reed never slowed down, running from first to third. Yuniesky Betancourt added an RBI double before Ibanez's key hit.

Blue Jays 7, White Sox 3

CHICAGO  Russ Adams hit two home runs, including going back-to-back with Orlando Hudson in the second inning, and Toronto roughed up Jon Garland.

Eric Hinske had three hits for Toronto as starter Josh Towers won for just the third time in his last 14 starts.

Jay Witasick struck out the side in the eighth and Huston Street earned his 11th save.

Devil Rays 10, Rangers 8

ARLINGTON, Texas  Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford had two triples, two doubles and three RBIs.

Crawford matched a team record for the most extra-base hits in a game, previously set by Jose Cruz Jr. and Randy Winn. Alex Gonzalez homered and Jorge Cantu drove in three runs for the Devil Rays, 13-5 since the All-Star break.

Bartolo Colon (13-6) scattered 10 hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. The right-hander gave up his only run in the fourth on an RBI single by B.J. Surhoff, who started at first base while Rafael Palmeiro served the second game of his 10-day suspension for a positive steroid test.

National League

WASHINGTON  Jeff Kent hit one of four homers by the Los Angeles Dodgers, accounting for all their runs in a 5-4 victory over the slumping Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Jason Phillips, Jason Repko and pinch-hitter Hee-Seop Choi also connected, the first time this season.

Braves 12, Reds 2

CINCINNATI  Chipper Jones homered and drove in four runs before leaving the game with an injury in the fourth inning, and Atlanta ended the Reds' season-high five-game winning streak.

Brian McCann also homered, and Marcus Giles had three hits and three RBI as the Braves rolled to their seventh win in their last eight games.

Cardinals 3, Marlins 1

ST. LOUIS  The Cardinals' Chris Carpenter pitched a three-hitter to beat Florida's Dontrelle Willis and become the major leagues' first 16-game winner.

John Gall drove in the first two runs of his career and Jim Edmonds had an RBI single for the Cardinals, who have the NL's best record at 67-39.

Mets 9, Brewers 8, 11 innings

NEW YORK  Pinch-hitter Mike Piazza drew a bases-loaded walk from Julio Santana in the 11th inning to win for the Mets.

Mike Cameron tied the score with a one-out homer in the ninth off closer Derrick Turnbow. David Wright also connected for the Mets, who overcame a four-run deficit and Milwaukee's season-high five homers.

Astros 3, Diamondbacks 1

PHOENIX  Roger Clemens threw seven innings of four-hit ball to earn his 338th victory one day before his 43rd birthday, and the Astros beat Arizona.

Adam Everett drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning double and Mike Lamb homered for the Astros, who won for the 14th time in 16 games and extended their lead in the NL wild-card race to two games over Washington.